Loader attachment for tractors



Nov. 29, 1949 A. FORD 2,489,629

LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1948INVENTOR ALFRED F02 QM Q mu Nov. 29, 1949 A. FORD LOADER ATTACHMENT FORTRACTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1948 Y INVENTOR ALFEEPI F020 BYRM & M

Patented Nov. 29, 1949 LOADER ATTACHDIENT FOR TRACTORS Alfred-Ford,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Superior Pipe Specialties Co., a corporationof Illinois Application January 12, 1948, Serial No. 1,779

1 This inventionrelates to a loader for use as an accessory withtractors and particularly to a power operated loader in connection withshovels, rakes and other loading implements. The loader forming thesubject matter of this invention is adapted to be attached to a tractorto form a part thereof and is provided with a pump and a liquidcirculating system for developing the lifting eflort in connection withloading.

Loaders for use with tractors and provided with liquid circulatingsystems are well known and widely used. Such loaders, however, havecertain undesirable features which render their manufacture expensiveand make the loaders susceptible to frequent breakdown. Thus it is oldto provide a loader with a high pressure pump driven by the tractorengine or by a special engine. Such pumps are generally of the gear typeand must develop pressures as high as 1,000 pounds per square inch inorder to generate the required loading effort. The loaders of the priorart have generally been constructed in such a manner that dirt wasdifiicut to keep out of the liquid circulating system and such dirtgenerally tended to circulate with the liquid. As a result, excessivewear on the pump teeth resulted and made it difllcult to develop thenecessary pump pressure.

Another drawback of the loaders of the prior art has been in connectionwith the flexible hose checked constantly to insure that the hose is inproper condition for withstanding the high liquid pressure.

An additional drawback of prior art loaders has been the complexity .ofthe framework and the expense of manufacturing the loader andmaintaining the same in operating condition.

A loader embodying the present invention is substantially free of theabove drawbacks and is characterized by mechanical simplicity making foreconomy in manufacture and'ease of maintenance. A structure embodyingthe present invention provides a liquid circulating system wherein asump'ior dirt is provided thus permitting dirt to settle out of the wayof the fluid circulating path. By virtue of this, the liquid is free ofsuspended dirt or particles and the pump,

usually of the gear type, may be operated with a maximum efliciencyunder most favorable conditions. In addition, the present inventionprovides a liquid circulating system free of flexible hose and having aframework which is simple,

4 Claims. (or. 214-140) 2' strong and highly effective both frommechanical and liquid circulating viewpoints. An additional featureresides in the construction of brackets whereby the loader may beattached to or adjacent the rear wheels of a tractor.

Referring now to the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loaderembodying the present invention mounted on a tractor. Figure 2 is a topplan view with certain parts broken away of the loader and tractor shownin Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side detail of a part of the loading meansand a portion of the tractor engine. Figure 4 is a detail on line l-4 ofFigure 3. Figure 5 is a top plan view of the loading means similar toFigure 2 but showing the rear portion of the loader and showing themounting brackets. Figure 6 is a side elevation with certain parts insection of part of the loader to illustrate the fluid storage part ofthe system. Figure '7 is a perspective of part of a pivot with the topbroken away to illustrate the fiow of fluid through the pivot. Figure 8is an enlarged perspective of a bracket for mounting the loader.

Tractor l may be of any desired construction having an engine suitablydisposed under hood I I and having rear wheels I2 (only one is shown)and front wheels l3. Bolted to the frame of the tractor by brackets land I5 to be described in detail later is a loader forming the subjectmatter of this invention. This loader comprises cylinders and 20'pivotally mounted to bracket l5 and i5 by means of pivots 2| and 2|.Where duplicate parts on opposite sides are provided, such parts willbear similar number with one set of numbers being primed. For ease indescription only one set of numbers will be specifically referred to.Cylinder 20 has slidably disposed therein piston 23 whose free end ispivotally secured at 2| to bracket 25 of the loader frame. Bracket 25 isrigidly attached to bent tubular member 21 having arms 28 and 29respectively. Arms 28 and 29 are rigidly attached to beam 30. Beam 30 ispivotally secured at 3i. Pivot 3| is part of cross member 34 and extendstransverse- 1y of the loader so that the two ends function as pivots onopposite sides of the loader.

Welded between plates 32 and 33 carried by cross member 34 is elbow 35of a bowed pipe having arms 36 and 31 respectively. Arm 36 has elbow 39from which pipe portion 40 extends downwardly. Transversely spaced pipeportions 40 and 40 are connected together at their lower ends by crosspipe 42. Pipe 42 and pipe portions 40 and 40' are connected together toprovide to fluid flow between the same.

A protective framework comprising members 48 and 48 extends between twopoints of cross pipe 42 and suitable points on elbows 38and 38'. Ifdesired, braces 41 and 48 may be provided to extend between members 45and 48. i ls is evident in Figure 1, this protective framework isdesigned to be in front of the radiator of the tractor. It is understoodthat members 45 and 88 may be tubular but are preferably sealed from theremainder of the system so that no fluid flow occurs.

Carried by the protective framework, in this particular instance, bycross member 48 is pump 58 of any suitabledesign. In practice, pump 58may be of the gear type and be provided with shaft for connection to thefront end of the crank shaft of the tractor engine or to a separateengine. Pump 58 has inlet pipe 53 and outlet pipe 54 and is adapted tooperate on any suitable liquid such as oil, water or the like. Inletpipe 53 is tapped in to any part of the frame for liquid storage, aselbow 39'. The inlet is tapped in at any point of the system preferablyat the same level or above pump 58.

Outlet pipe 54 of the pump extends along the loader and goes to valve 56having control handle 51. Valve 56 is a three-way valve havingconnections 58, so and 6|. It is understood that valve 56 in loadingposition will provide for liquid flow from 58 to 68. In an unloadedposition of the valve, liquid will flow from 58 and 68 to 6I. A neutralposition of the valve will cut oil 68 from both 58 and 6|. Inasmuch assuch valves are well known and readily available in the market, adetailed description thereof is deemed to be unnecessary. Pipe 6|extends down across pipe 63 which bridges the ends of arms 36 and 31.The junctions of the ends of pipe 63 and arms 36 and 31 permit a liquidflow therebetween.

-Valve connection 68 goes to pipes 65 and-66 respectively going toopposite sides of the loader. Pipes 65 and'66 terminate in fittings 61and 61 which are coaxial with pivots 2| and 2| of the cylinders. InFigure 7 is a perspective section of one of the two pivots. Thus fitting61 is rigidly joined to pivot member 69 having transverse bore I8 andaxial bore II between bore I8 and fitting 6I. Rigid frame members I2 andI3 are suitably apertured to support pivot member 88. Rockable aroundpivot member 69 is cylinder support block I5 having chamber I6encircling member 69 as the part having bore I8. Block I5 has bore I'Iconnecting chamber I6 and cylinder 28. Cylinder 28 is rigidly connectedas by welding to block I5. Thus a sealed liquid path from fitting 61 tocylinder 28 is provided while permitting the cylinder to rock.

In order to maintain pivot member 69 rigidly in position, end plate 18maybe bolted to pivot member 69 and frame member I2. Pivot member 69 ispreferably provided with annular grooves I8 on opposite sides of chamberI6 in the assembled position of the parts. These grooves are packed withsuitable material such as leather, rubber, or other packing material toprovide a tight seal against the high pressure of liquid within thecylinder interior.

The mounting of the loader at the rear of the tractor may beaccomplished by brackets, one of which is shown in perspective in Figure8. Thus frame members I2 and I3 for each cylinder support extendsbetween rigid parallel plates 88 and 8|. The frame members and parallelplates are bolted or welded together to form a rigid assembly. Plate 88is substantially larger than plate 8| and has portions extending beyondthe sides of frame members I2 and I3. Thus part 82 of the plate issuitably apertured at 84 to provide holes for mounting fenders for thetractor.

As clearly evident in Figure 5, part 82 is on the outside with relationto the tractor. Bottom plate 8| is apertured at 85 for securing to thetractor frame. Cut-outs 88 in plate 88 provide clearance for boltspassing through apertures 85.

Referring now to beams 38 and 38', the free ends carry any suitableloading means, such as for example scoop or shovel 88. Shovel 88 ispivoted at 8| and 92 to beams 38 and 38'. Shovel 88 has sides 93 and 94,bottom 95 and curved back 96. Curved back 86 is provided, along part ofits length at least, with reinforcing strip 81 extending along thecenter thereof. Reinforcing strip 91 carries top and bottom stop members88 and 99 respectively and latch blocks I88 and IIII. Extending acrossbeams 38 and 38' is cross beam I 84 disposed adjacent the shovel back.Cross beam I84 carries mounting plate I85 upon which is pivotallysecured dog I86. Dog I86 cooperates with reinforcing strip 81 and thelatch and stop bars associated therewith. Dog I86 is controlled by rodI89 extending to the side of the loader and connected to link H8 andhandle III.

Dog I86 is so shaped that it cooperates with stops 98 and 99 to limitthe travel of the shovel on its pivots. Stops I88 and I8I are adapted tocooperate with dog I86 to lock theshovel in either one of two positionsfor loading or unloading for example. From these locked positions dogI88 may be released 'by handle II I permitting the shovel to turn on itspivot to another position. 7

Drain plug H5 is provided at cross pipe 42 and filling plugs H6 and 6'are provided at the two frames near the top.

The loader operates as follows: Assuming that pump 58 is driven, liquidwill go from inlet 53 to outlet 54. If the valve handle is set to anidle position then liquid will go from 58 through the valve to pipes 6|and 63. The liquid will circulate idly within the tubular liquidcontaining portion of the frame. It'is understood that the pipe systemconsisting of pipes 36, 31, 48, 63,

23' outwardly. This causes beams 38 and 38 to' rock upwardly raising theshovel. At any desired shovel position, the valve may be turned to aneutral position in which case the cylinders will be sealed by valveconnection 68 being sealed off from the remaining valve connections. Ifthe shovel is to be lowered, the valve is turned to an idle position.Means for rocking the shovel on its pivots may be provided. The dogcooperates with the latching and stop blocks on the shovel back in theusual manner.

Sediment in the system will collect in the bottom of, the liquid storagesystem and may be re- !8 moved through the drain plug.

What is claimed is:

l. A loading attachment for tractors or the like comprising a pair oftriangulariy shaped tubular frames lying in spaced vertical'pianesgenerally parallel to the tractor length, each of said frames having anapex at the top and sloping sides terminating in front and rear legs,means for supporting the frames in iixed position, means for anchoringthe rear legs on a tractor, said front legs having extensions to a lowerlevel than said rear legs, a transverse tubular member Joining the freeends of said extensions, said triangular frames and transverse memberbeing hollow and providing a connected liquid path for storage orcirculation, said transverse member having a drain plug and being at thelowest level of the entire attachment, a pump having an inlet connectedto said liquid storage system at some region above the level of saidtransverse member, said pump having an outlet connected to a three wayvalve, a conduit from the second valve connection to said liquid storagesystem, a cylinder pivotally secured at each rear leg, fluid lines fromthe third valve connection to each cylinder, a piston for each cylinder,a pair of arms pivotally mounted adjacent the top apices of said tubularframes, rigid means Joining said pistons to said arms for moving thesame. said arms being adapted to have a load at the arm ends, said valvebeing adapted to have one position where fluid from the pump outlet isfed directly back to the storage system, another position of the valvebeing adapted to direct fluid from the pump outlet into said cylindersfor raising said arms, another valve position sealing the cylinders tomaintain the arms in an elevated position and an unloading positionwhere the cylinders are connected to the storage system for lowering theor the transverse passage and being rotatable aroundthepimsaidpivotpinhavingpacking betweenitandtbeeneirelingparttoprovideailuidtighteonnectiontbroughthecylinder whereby rigid pipe may be usedthroughout the entire system. c

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said means for anchoringthe rear legs to a tractor include the following for each side of theattachment: a pair of spaced horizontal plates, a pair of spacedvertical plates extendsaid frame and being movable up and down and beingadapted to be loaded at the ends of said arms, a pair of cylinders andpistons, one cylinder and piston being provided for'each arm and beingconnected between a portion of the arm and frame, said cylindersbeingjiin fluid communication with said frame to receive iluid underpressure, said attachment including pump and valve means for generatingand controlling fluid pressure, said attachment frame having rear legsfor attachment to a tractor and having two brackets, each bracketincluding a pair of spaced horizontal plates, a pair of spaced verticalplates extending between said horizontal plates and rigidly attachedthereto, the bottom plate being adapted to be attached to a tractor andthe top plate being adapted to supports fender and said vertical plateshaving rotatably mounted thereon a cylinder. 1

ALFRED FORD.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are'oi flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS record in the

